Diamond Necklace Seeks a Feat Reserved for Champions at Chantilly

The undefeated pupil of Aidan O'Brien will attempt to capture the Prix de Diane Longines and complete a historic treble achieved by only four stars in recent decades

CHANTILLY, France (Special to Turf Diario).– Glamour, elegance, and top-tier sport will combine once again this Sunday at Chantilly Racetrack with the running of the Prix de Diane Longines (G1), the most important race of the season for 3-year-old fillies in France and one of the great events on the European calendar.

Scheduled for 4:05 p.m. local time, the 2100-meter classic will gather 11 high-quality contenders and will feature the undefeated Diamond Necklace as the main attraction. The Coolmore representative trained by Aidan O'Brien arrives with the opportunity to join an absolutely select group.

Winner in all 4 of her appearances, the daughter of No Nay Never will attempt to complete a sequence achieved by only four champions before her: capturing the Prix Marcel Boussac (G1) at age 2, followed by the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1), and finally the Prix de Diane Longines (G1). Previously, only Allez France (Sea-Bird), Divine Proportions (Kingmambo), Zarkava (Zamindar), and Blue Rose Cen (Churchill) managed to pull off the feat.

The main threat to the favorite appears to be the local runner Green Spirit (Kingman), who has already put up a fight on several occasions. Second in the 2025 Marcel Boussac and an excellent third behind Diamond Necklace in the Pouliches, the French pupil will look to frustrate the Irish dream and give the local public a reason to celebrate on the big day of the year.

However, the card at Chantilly will offer much more than just the Diane.

The action will kick off at 1:30 p.m. with the Prix de la Reine Blanche Longines, reserved for uncaught 2-year-old fillies, and will continue at 2:05 p.m. with the Prix de la Reine-Amélie, restricted to amateur female riders and valid for the world championship of the specialty.

At 2:40 p.m. it will be the turn of the best 4-year-old Arabian horses with the running of the Qatar Derby des Pur-Sang Arabes de 4 Ans, another standout event on the program.

Following the main course of the Prix de Diane, a tribute will arrive at 4:45 p.m. with the Prix Pawneese, a listed race for fillies and mares 4 years old and up that honors the extraordinary winner of the 1976 edition of the Diane, when she defended the colors of the Wildenstein family and was ridden by the legendary Yves Saint-Martin.

The conclusion of the meeting will also boast plenty of class. At 6:03 p.m., the Prix Bertrand du Breuil Longines(G3) will be contested over the mile, highlighted by the presence of G1 winner Sahlan (Wootton Bassett), while at 6:37 p.m. the Prix du Lys Longines (G3) will take place, a traditional stepping stone for the Grand Prix de Paris(G1), which will be run on July 14th.

With a candidate looking to make history, an incomparable setting, and several top-level stars in action, Chantilly will once again become the center of attention for European racing during a day that promises thrills from start to finish.